| New Brunswick Hawks | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Moncton,New Brunswick |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Operated | 1978–1982 |
| Home arena | Moncton Coliseum |
| Colours | Blue and White |
| Owner(s) | Maple Leaf Gardens Limited & Chicago Black Hawks |
| Affiliates | Chicago Black Hawks & Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Franchise history | |
| 1978–1982 | New Brunswick Hawks |
| 1982–1986 | St. Catharines Saints |
| 1986–1991 | Newmarket Saints |
| 1991–2005 | St. John's Maple Leafs |
| 2005–present | Toronto Marlies |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 1 (1981–82) |
| Division titles | 2 (1979–80,1981–82) |
| Calder Cups | 1 (1981–82) |
TheNew Brunswick Hawks were a professionalice hockey team based inMoncton,New Brunswick. Home games were played at theMoncton Coliseum. They were a member of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL) between1978 and1982. The Hawks operated as a minor league affiliate of theChicago Black Hawks and theToronto Maple Leafs, with a winning record each of four seasons.
The Hawks won theF. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy twice for regular season division championships in1979–80, and1981–82. New Brunswick finished first overall in 1981–82, and won theCalder Cup by defeating theBinghamton Whalers four games to one in the finals. In the summer of 1982, the Black Hawks pulled out of the team and the Maple Leafs moved the franchise toSt. Catharines, Ontario to establish theSt. Catharines Saints as their farm team. However, the same off-season theEdmonton Oilers purchased an AHL franchise and formed theMoncton Alpines to replace the departed team.
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The Moncton-based New Brunswick Hawks were established in 1978 as members of theAmerican Hockey League (AHL),[1] and were jointly operated by theChicago Black Hawks and theToronto Maple Leafs as theirfarm team.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL) and the Black Hawks each owned half of the franchise.[8][9][10][11]
By 1980,Harold Ballard, owner of the Leafs, had decided that they needed a developmental team of their own,[9] with a spokesperson citing the limited number of roster spots as the rationale for the move.[2][3] MLGL launched theCincinnati Tigers in the oldCentral Hockey League in 1981 to serve as their own affiliate, while retaining their share of the New Brunswick Hawks.[2][3][8][12][13][14] However, after the Tigers averaged only 1,500 fans and lost $750,000 in their first season, the Leafs folded the Tigers in the spring of 1982.[4][12][13][15][16] That same summer, with Chicago having already pulled out of New Brunswick in favour of affiliating with theSpringfield Indians on their own,[4][13][16][17] the Maple Leafs announced that they would not operate the team in Moncton the following year after they couldn't come to terms with the city on a new arena lease,[4][13][17] even though the team had the fifth highest attendance in the league.[18]
The Maple Leafs wanted to relocate the team closer to Toronto, with bothSt. Catharines andNiagara Falls in Ontario potential destinations for the franchise.[12][15][19] When MLGL applied to the AHL to relocate the New Brunswick Hawks to St. Catharines, the nearbyBuffalo Sabres initially blocked the move due to objections to a team moving into their territory without prior discussions with them.[13][20][21][22][23][24] However, following protests by fans in St. Catharines[25] and threats by Ballard to suspend the Moncton franchise to prevent another AHL team from playing in the city[13] and to sue the Sabres and NHL for $20 million,[22][23] the relocation was approved unanimously and the franchise became theSt. Catharines Saints, serving as the Maple Leafs' primary affiliate.[12][20][23][26][27] At the same AHL Board of Governors meeting, theEdmonton Oilers received approval to purchase a new AHL franchise to replace the departed Hawks in Moncton,[20][23][26][27] leading to establishment of theMoncton Alpines as their affiliate that fall.[27][28]
Rocky Saganiuk won theLes Cunningham Award in 1978–79 as the league'sMost Valuable Player, in its inaugural season. The following season in 1979–80,Darryl Sutter won theDudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award asRookie of the Year. Sutter went on to have a career in the NHL, with theChicago Blackhawks. He later became head coach of theLos Angeles Kings. Four different players were honoured in 1981–82 with league awards.Mike Kaszycki won three awards, the Les Cunningham Award as most valuable player, theJohn B. Sollenberger Trophy as top scorer, and theFred T. Hunt Memorial Award forsportsmanship and perseverance.Dave Farrish was voted top defenceman winning theEddie Shore Award, and goaltendersBob Janecyk &Warren Skorodenski won theHarry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for the league's lowestgoals against average.Jack O'Callahan, who was a member of the 1980 Winter Olympics United States "Miracle on Ice" national team, played two seasons for the New Brunswick Hawks before playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | 80 | 41 | 29 | 10 | 92 | 315 | 288 | 2nd, North |
| 1979–80 | 79 | 44 | 27 | 8 | 96 | 325 | 271 | 1st, North |
| 1980–81 | 80 | 37 | 33 | 10 | 84 | 317 | 298 | 2nd, North |
| 1981–82 | 80 | 48 | 21 | 11 | 107 | 338 | 227 | 1st, North |
| Season | 1st round | 2nd round | Finals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | L, 2-3,Nova Scotia | — | — |
| 1979–80 | W, 4-1,Adirondack | W, 4-2,Maine | L, 2-4,Hershey |
| 1980–81 | W, 4-2,Nova Scotia | L, 3-4,Maine | — |
| 1981–82 | W, 3-2,Adirondack | W, 4-1,Nova Scotia | W, 4-1,Binghamton |